Tel Aviv Travel Guide

Tel Aviv Summary

Pros

Growing into thriving cosmopolitan city with word-class nightlife and cuisine

Trendy hotels and bars

The White City, a historic sector of Tel Aviv and UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its collection of 4,000 Bauhaus buildings dating to the 1930s

Rothschild Boulevard, one of the main arteries of the city and a hub four tourists with a strip of trees in the center of the street for pedestrians and cyclists

Charming markets, such as the Hacarmel fruit and vegetable market

Old Jaffa, a historic port with galleries, cafes, and restaurants

Cheap, reliable buses

Many people speak English

Cons

Strong current off the coast; stick to areas with lifeguards

Jellyfish

Hot, humid summers

Though generally a safe city, there have been past terrorist attacks such as bus bombings

What It's Like

Tel Aviv is the heart of modern Israel, and has vibrant nightlife and culture. There’s still plenty of history here, to be sure, but Tel Aviv is getting trendier and more cosmopolitan by the day. It’s a place where young Israelis congregate at rooftop bars and dine and gourmet restaurants that are good enough to compete on the international stage. Stylish boutique hotels that wouldn’t be out of place in New York City are cropping up, too, such as Alma Hotel & Lounge and Brown TLV Urban Hotel.

Rothschild Boulevard is one of the main arteries of the city, and features a strip of trees in the center of the street for pedestrians and cyclists. Tourists will find many hotel and restaurants off of this thoroughfare, as well as many white Bauhaus buildings dating to the 1930s (these form part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the White City, though there is a larger grouping to the north).

Neve Tzedek is a lovely revitalized historic district, once home to many artists and writers in the late 19th century. Old Jaffa, a historic port neighborhood with a promenade along the sea, as well as galleries, cafes, and restaurants, is also of interest to tourists. The city’s beaches, of course, are a major draw.